CHARLOTTE, N.C.  – The 16^th-ranked and third-seeded Queens University of Charlotte men's lacrosse team will face off against 13^th-ranked and top-seeded Wingate University in the 2019 South Atlantic Conference Championship on Sunday, April 28 in Wingate, N.C. The Royals defeated sixth-seeded Tusculum University in the quarterfinals and second-seeded Catawba College in the semifinals to reach the Championship while the Bulldogs topped fourth-seeded Lenoir-Rhyne University in the semis after receiving a first-round bye.
 
Queens avenged their regular season loss to the 20^th-ranked Indians defeating them 14-2 in Friday's semifinals. Senior defender Griffin Stechmiller led the Royals with his second hat trick of the year. He also had one assist and five ground balls. Eric Fitz totaled two goals while Kealan Pilon and Kevin Barry each recorded one goal and one assist for two points apiece. In goal, Anthony Valenza recorded seven saves.
 
Wingate won 16-8 over the Bears with Dominic Piazza totaling seven points with four goals and three assists. Bobby Padden added two goals and four assists for six points while Ryan Ormerod and Connor Gronbach each recorded hat tricks. In goal, Alex Cordero totaled seven saves.
 
Padden leads the Bulldogs with 52 points this season on 26 goals and 26 assists. Alex Llerandi has 47 points on 37 goals and 10 assists while Gronbach and Piazza each have 45 points. Cordero has a save percentage of .538 in the cage.
 
The Royals are led by Pilon who has 56 points after totaling 32 goals and 24 assists. Quinn Tallant has 42 points on 36 goals and six assists and Laszlo Henning has 29 points on 18 goals and 11 assists. Goalkeepers Kyle Hornik and Valenza combine for a save percentage of .563.
 
Wingate took the regular season game between the two teams by a score of 11-9, and the Royals have not defeated the Bulldogs since the 2017 regular season. That same season, the pair met in the SAC Championship with Wingate taking a one-point win in overtime. Queens last won the Championship in 2014.
 
Sunday's SAC Men's Lacrosse Championship is scheduled to begin at 4 p.m. at Graham Gill Field on the campus of Wingate. Live stats and video will be available.